Why Bridgeport? Engineering Staff Gets Things Done
By Jon Griffith on October 26, 2024 from Why Bridgeport?
“Scientists dream about doing great things. Engineers do them.”
American author James A. Michener’s quote emphasizes the importance of the engineers’ role in taking scientists' concepts, ideas, and theories and turning them into real-world applications and solutions. The same is often true for planners, design consultants, and architects. They dream up the idea, but engineers are the ones that get stuff done.
Many municipalities in West Virginia rely exclusively on outside engineering firms to provide the expertise to bridge the gap between project concept and construction. Someone who can turn their hopes and visions into practical project plans and timelines that can be
funded and constructed. Often, they depend on these firms to manage, inspect, and monitor those projects during the construction process until completed.
funded and constructed. Often, they depend on these firms to manage, inspect, and monitor those projects during the construction process until completed.
Like any other professional or professional firm, engineers don’t come cheap. Not to say they aren’t worth it. I would venture to say that they are worth every penny. The knowledge and experience they provide can save a great deal of heartache, misery, and money. Poor design or construction of a facility can also be a serious liability for a municipality.
In Bridgeport, we frequently contract with outside engineering firms on our projects. However, just as often, we can turn to the Bridgeport Engineering Department to do some of that work internally. Beth Fox heads up the department and is assisted by Jacob Griffith. Office Administrator Staci Unger and Administrative Assistant Missie Clayton keep the department running and always on track.
Our engineering department possesses a wide breadth of knowledge and experience that the city can tap to provide us with the same type of high-level professional input, planning, management, and monitoring at a fraction of the cost. The scope of their work across the city is staggering. 
The Bridgeport Engineering Department interacts frequently with virtually every municipal department and is involved in nearly every city construction project. Their work impacts everyone in our community in one way or another.
In conjunction with Bridgeport Public Works and the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and under the guidance of the Bridgeport Utility Board, they keep our vast water utility system up and running. Beneath our feet is a maze of underground pipes and lines we depend upon to bring water to our homes and businesses, take sewage away from those locations, and move it to the plant for treatment.
Stormwater is another area of concern for the department. With our recent historic series of weather events, the department works closely with the Emergency Services Department as we recover from these events and work on plans to minimize the effects of future storms. Stormwater retention systems are now required for new development, and improvements to existing stormwater systems are being investigated.
Above the surface, the water storage tanks, sewage lift stations, the wastewater treatment plant, stormwater inlets, fire hydrants, Deegan and Hinkle Lakes, and more are also on their list of items of concern related to water. All of which they either help design, monitor, and or
maintain.
maintain.
This dedicated group also has responsibility for our buildings, bridges, roads, and sidewalks above ground. From designing or assisting with the design of these projects to ultimately granting final approval upon their completion, the Engineering Department is involved every step of the way. Working closely with our Code Enforcement team, all in-progress and completed projects are routinely inspected to ensure they are in good shape and working order.
A great example of this is our roadway and sidewalk program. The department has developed a preemptive rotating schedule for paving city-owned streets to prevent them from falling into disrepair. If the occasional pothole or roadside failure occurs, they and Public Works crews quickly address the situation. Sometimes, they even fix issues that arise with state-owned roadways, simply as a public service.
Sidewalks are also monitored and replaced as needed. As funds are available, they continue to add sidewalks to our neighborhoods to increase pedestrian safety and improve walkability. Who wouldn’t want that?
The recent wall and sidewalk project at the intersection of Philadelphia Avenue and Worthington Drive is a great example of a project that the department was instrumental in pushing forward. By moving the wall back and widening the street, we now have a much safer intersection for motorists, school buses, and pedestrians.
This roadway and sidewalk program saves the city enormous costs in the long run that come when entire roadways or sidewalks must be 
reconstructed. It also makes our community safer for commuters and pedestrians. As a bonus, it provides the city with some of the finest-looking streets in the state.
reconstructed. It also makes our community safer for commuters and pedestrians. As a bonus, it provides the city with some of the finest-looking streets in the state.
The department recently designed an office and locker room addition at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. The project is currently under construction and nearing completion. By doing the engineering and design work in-house, the city saved tens of thousands of dollars that can now be used elsewhere.
More examples like this can be found in our parks and trails. Working closely with the Parks and Recreation Department, the Engineering Department has been instrumental in the engineering and inspection work associated with the new Inclusive Playground, located next to the CityNet Center. The Nature Trail/XC Course is another project for which design, engineering, and construction were done in-house. Each time we can do this work ourselves, the city saves money.
Keeping track of the city’s assets and responsibilities is a huge undertaking. The extensive water/sewage system, stormwater lines, streets, sidewalks, trails, street lights, waterways, easements, fire data, police data, code enforcement data, and much more are tracked by our Engineering Department using GIS (Geographic Information System).
Many towns rely on their county or an outside firm to input data into GIS, which is then used by the city and its employees. Again, this is something we can do ourselves. We are even creating specialized applications within GIS to customize the program to meet our needs right here in Bridgeport—something that many communities must pay to have done.
Why Bridgeport? We are blessed to have not one but two outstanding engineers on our city roster: Beth Fox and Jacob Griffith. For a town of just over 9200 residents, that is highly unusual and a tremendous asset for our community.
While I may not be completely impartial, as Jacob Griffith is my son, I know this department does an exemplary job for the City of Bridgeport. The City Council is careful to spend our citizens’ tax dollars wisely. The Bridgeport Engineering Department is vital in helping us make fiscally prudent decisions on so many projects. Often, they allow us to make our money go further by doing the work we would otherwise have to spend resources on for outside firms.
We are frequently the object of admiration and a little jealousy over the number and scope of things we accomplish in Bridgeport. A major part of how and why we can do what we do is the Bridgeport Engineering Department.
We are blessed to have great engineers who get stuff done.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows work being done at the intersection of Philadelphia and Worthington, while City Engineer Beth Fox is shown in the second photo. The third image is of the recently completed Virginia Avenue traile, while engineering staff member Jake Griffith is shown below.
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